LumberKings snap 15-game slide with walk-off win

Joe DeCarlo hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the 11th

By Mike Weisman

June 17, 2015

Clinton, IA - Nearly three weeks stood in between wins for the Clinton LumberKings (24-40) and it took 11 innings Tuesday night to snap a 15-game losing streak, which tied the Midwest League record. The 6-5 win was Clinton's fifth walk-off win of the season and second vs. the Quad Cities River Bandits (41-22).

Like Clinton had done numerous times over the past 15 games, the LumberKings jumped out to an early lead. Clinton plated a pair of runs in each of the first two innings, a two-RBI double by Chris Mariscal in the first and a two-RBI double by Wayne Taylor in the second made it 4-0. River Bandits' starter Brandon McNitt (ND) allowed five earned runs over three innings.

Clinton starter Jeffeson Medina (ND) did not fare much better than McNitt. The righty allowed four runs, three earned, over just 2.2 innings. Medina surrendered a three-run home run to Jacob Nottingham, his 10^th of the season, in a four-run third inning. Clinton lost leads of 4-0 and 5-4, but held Quad Cities in check after the fifth run.

The River Bandits tied the game in the seventh inning. After Thyago Vieira relieved Jarrett Brown with two on in the frame and allowed a single to Nottingham, he got Nick Tanielu to pop up to second base. But a four pitch walk to Ryan Bottger followed and plated the game-tying run, and the score remained 5-5 until the 11^th inning.

In the top of the 11^th, Quad Cities loaded the bases with one out vs. Kody Kerski (W, 1-2) without the benefit of the hit. But the Clinton closer struck out Bottger and got Kristian Trompiz to line out to third base to end the threat and set up Clinton's walk-off opportunity.

Eric Peterson (L, 2-3), brother of Wednesday night's Clinton starter Pat Peterson, retired the first four hitters that he faced, as he set down the side in order in the 10^th and got Wayne Taylor to ground out to begin the 11^th. Chris Mariscal followed Taylor's groundout with a triple to the right field corner, and Quad Cities manager Josh Bonifay elected to intentionally walk both Estarlyn Morales and Taylor Zeutenhorst. Peterson then hit Joe DeCarlo on a 1-0 pitch, which plated Mariscal, and ended Clinton's 15-game losing streak.

Off of the win, Clinton will look to delay Quad Cities' clinching of the first half division win by at least one more day. Wednesday night, Pat Peterson (4-4, 4.66) will oppose Jorge Perez (1-0, 5.40). First pitch at Ashford University Field is scheduled for 6:30 CT in Clinton. The LumberKings broadcast can be heard on WCCI 100.3 FM, WCCIRadio.com, and LumberKings.com.